The police raided the illicitly distilled (ID) liquor dens at the forest locations in Valmikipuram mandal in Chittoor district on Sunday, and destroyed 2,000 litres of ID liquor and 200 litres of fermented jaggery, utensils, distilling equipment and cans.
According to information, the Valmikipuram police led by Circle-Inspector Siva Bhaskar, Sub-Inspectors Venkateswarulu and Ravi Prakash Reddy raided two locations at Eguva Mekalavaripalle and Diguva Mekalavaripalle villages abutting a forest location. Seeing the police at dawn, several persons had escaped, while six were arrested from the spots.
The police said that fearing police raids, those involved in ID liquor trade are creating secure dens in forest locations and atop the hillocks. Restrictions on the wine shops and movement of people due to the COVID-19 lockdown prompted the ID liquor makers to become active during the four weeks. Special parties were formed to detect the clandestine operations of these gangs. The villagers were also sought to inform the police and the excise staff as and when they find any suspicious activity at the forest locations.
The Chittoor police have mounted vigil at several hamlets vulnerable to brewing of country arrack. Keeping in view of the earlier incidents of attacks on Excise personnel, special parties were formed to inspect the rural side, including Rasnapalle and Siddampalle, abutting the Tamil Nadu border.
Meanwhile, the Kuppam rural police had intensified surveillance at the forested hamlets after detecting the ID liquor dens, leading to destroying of about 2,000 litres and arrest of nine persons there. The clandestine trade has regular clientèle in several villages on the Chittoor-T.N. border.
